Machine foe piepaeing shade cloth



(No Model.)

W. P. COLE. MACHINE P0P. PHHPAHING SHADE CLOTH.

Parente@ Jan. 29,1895.

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W. P. COLE. MACHINE FOR PREPARING lSHADE CLOTH.

Patented Jan. 29, 1895.,

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Uni-ra STATES VILLIAM P. COLE, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

MACHINE FOR PREPARING SHADE-CLOTH.

SPECIFCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 533,849, dated January 29, 1895. Application filed March 26, 1892. Serial No. 426,542. (No model.)

opaque shades, although the machine may be used for treating fabric which is to be sized or painted or both and which is to be used for purposes other than window shades. In preparing fabric of this kind, it is neces sary to give the cloth a coating of size or paint, or both; and the object of my invention is to produce a simple machineby means of which a roll of fabric may be automati cally dipped in size and paint, may be stretched and dried, may be brushed so as to spread the size and paint smoothly and remove all surplus material, and which will finally deliver the prepared fabric in a roll.

To this end my invention consists of certain features of construction and combinations of parts, which will be vhereinafter described and claimed.

' Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the entire apparatus, the view being also a diagrammatic view to show the relative position of the various parts of the course of the fa bric. of the rotary brushes. Fig. 3 is abroken detail plan view of the clamping chain guides and the fabric stretching mechanism. Fig. 4 is a sectional planof the brushing and dipping apparatus on the line 4 4. in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an englarged cross section on the line 5 5 in Fig. l. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail cross section through the clamping guide and chain, showing also the screw for moving the guide. Fig. 7 is a broken enlarged cross section on the line 7-7 in Fig. 1. Fig.8 is a broken longitudinal section on the line 8`8 in Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is a broken sectional plan on the line 9-9 in Fig. 8, showing the lateral Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of onev incline or bend of the chain guide. Fig. 10 is a broken inverted plan of the grooved clamping chain. Fig. ll is a cross section on the line 11,-11 in Fig. l, showing the mechanism for trimming the fabric; and Fig. l2 is a detail front elevation of the winding mechanism for Winding up the fabric after it has been treated.

At one end of the apparatus and at the bottom is a supporting frame l0, carrying a shaft 11 on which a roll 12 of the fabric 13 to be treated is secured, and this fabric extends forward over a guide roller 14 and around the lower side of the drum l5 which revolves in a tank 15 containing a size, and the fabric then continues onward through the remainder of the apparatus, as hereinafter described. Beneath the size tank laare steam pipes 16, by meansof which it is kept Warm. Within lthe tank is an agitator to prevent the size from settling, this comprising a bar 17 which reci procates in the tank bottom near one side, arms 18 secured to the bar and extending crosswise through the` tank near the bottom, and a standard 19 which is fixed to the bar and extends vertically upward.

The upper end of the bar 19 is secured to a reciprocating andhorizontal rod or b ar 20 which is held above .the tank 15a and which carries a brush 2l adapted to be moved back and forth against one side of the fabric 13. The bar 20 has a depending arm 22 which is pivoted to an oscillating lever 23, the lever having its outer end pivoted, as shown at 24, and the lever is slotted longitudinally near the `enter and receives a crank 25 on a gear wheel 26, which gear wheel rotates horizontally and is driven by a bevel gear wheel 27 on the horizontal shaft 28 which shaft extends parallel with the tank and with the bar 20 and has a suitable driving pulley 29 at one end. The shaft 28 is jonrnaled in suitable supports and the lever 23 has its outer end pivoted to any convenient support, although no support is shown in the drawings.

On the opposite side of the fabric and above the tank l5a is a similar reciprocating brush 2l which moves exactly opposite the brush already described, and similar mechanism is employed to reciprocate the brush as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The only difference being, as shown in said iigures,one shaft 28 is above IOO its adjacent brush and the opposite shaft is below it. This arrangement is arbitrary, however, and any suitable mechanism may be employed to move the brushes.

The fabric is drawn upward between the brushes and the movement of the brushes is such that they cover the entire width of the fabric, thus rubbing the size and removing any surplus, which will fall back into the tank beneath. Above the brush 21 is a pair of rot-ary brushes 30, adapted to turn on horizontal axes and arranged to strike both sides of the fabric so as to thoroughly brush the same, and the brushes are mounted on shafts 31 which may be turned by any suitable mechanism. The brushes'30 each consist of a central core 32 having projecting bristles 33 and a plurality of detachable two-part sections 34, the parts being connected by a plate 35 which is bolted to the sections by bolts 36, as shown in Fig. 2, thus clamping the two sections to the shaft. As shown in the drawings, the clamping plate and bolts are only applied to one section 34, but it will be understood that it may be applied to all. The object of having the brush made up in sections in this way, is to enable it to be made of the right width to fit the fabric.

After passing through between the brushes 30, the fabric 13 passes between pairs of vertically aligning pulleys 37 which are arranged one above the other and turn upon suitable shafts 38, and the fabric then enters the chain guides 39, being held therein by chains as described below, and the chains act as carriers to feed the fabric forward. The guides 39 are arranged in pairs like a track, so as to align horizontally, as shown in Fig. 3, and they are arranged in tiers one above another, there being two groups of these tiers arranged one above another, as shown in Fig. 1. The guides 39 consist of elongated guides 40 of rectangular cross section, as best shown in Figs. 6 and 11, the guides being slotted longitudinally on theirinner sides so that the fabric may be carried forward through them. Each guide 40 is carried upon a suitable base 41 which has one side 42 extended upward to fit against the outer side of the guide 40, land the guide 40 is secured to the base by bolts 43 or similar means.

The base 41 has a depending bottom portion 41a which extends into a transverse slideway 45, the base having a flange above the slideway to ride upon the top of the latter, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8, and the lower portion 41a of the base 41 has a screw 44 extending through it, by means of which the base and the guide carried thereby may be moved. By turning the screws and moving the bases or supports and the guides carried thereby, the guides may be adjusted in relation to each other and thus adapt the machine to carry cloth of any width. rlhe slideways 45 are supported upon suitable hangers or pedestals 46, and the lopposite guide supports 41 are provided with screws having an opposite pitch, that is, one is a right-hand screw and the other a left-hand, as shown in Fig. 5, the screws being coupled together in the middle, as shown at 47, and the outer ends of the screws terminating in hand wheels 48 by means of which the screws may be turned and the bases 41 and guides 40 forced toward each other or apart, as desired.

The lower pair of guides 39 are bent outward, as shown at 49 in Fig. 3, near their forward ends, and this provides for gradually 'stretching the cloth carried between them so as to hold it perfectly taut and enable it to dry smoothly and be properly prepared for the paint or other coating.

The lower guides 39 of the twogroups shown in Fig. 1, are supported on pedestals 46, as described, and the guides above are supported on extensions 50 which project upward from the bases 41, the guides being bolted to ledges 51and the said extensions 50, as shown in Fig. 7. The guides are-provided at the ends with pullevs 37, and placed parallel with the pulleys and near the corners of the whole apparatus are similar guide pulleys 37a, the pulleys 37 and 37a serving to guide the carrying chains 52 and 53 which are arranged one within the other and which run double through a portion of their length, that is, through the parts moving through the guides 40, the chains being adapted at these points to clamp the edges of the cloth between them.

To enable the course of the chains to be clearly followed and understood, I have used lletters as described below.

The course of the chain 52 is over the guide pulleys 37 ata, thence over similar pulleys at b at the opposite end of the lower guide, thence through the guides 39 above and over pulleys 37 at c, thence through the next upper guides, thence over pulleys 37 at d, thence upward through` vertical guides 39a and over pulleys 37 at e, thence downward over a drum in the paint tank, as described below, and upward through vertical guides 39h, thence over pulleys 37 at f, thence through the upper guides 39 of the upper group and over pulleys 37 at g, thence through the middle guides of the upper group and over pulleys 37 at h, thence through the lower guides of the upper group and over pulleys 37 at i',

back to the pulleys 37 at a.

The course of the chain 53 is as follows: It meets the chain 52 at a passing over pulleys 37 at j, thence through the lower guides 39 of the lower group of guides, thence over the pulleys 37 at b, c, 0l, e, f, g and h, to the end of the lower guide of the upper group of guides, where it leaves the chain 52 and passes upward at 'n over -guide pulleys 37, thence upward over pulleys 37a at m, thence above the upper guides 39 of the uppergroup over guide pulleys 37L at Z, thence downward over. guide pulleys 37 at 7c, and back to the first mentioned pulleys 37 at j, the outer portion of the chain 53 thus passing around nearly the entire apparatus. The chains 52 IOO IIO

seaeae e and 53 are each made up of a series of links 54 each link having a tongue 55 fitting into a central recess in the adjacent link, as shown in Fig. l0, and the links are pivoted together by pins 56 passing through the tongues and the over-lapping parts of the links.

The side of the chain 52 which comes next the chain 53 is provided with a longitudinal groove 57 extending through the several links, and the adjacent surface of the chain 53 is providedwith projecting spurs'58 which are adapted to enter the groove, and consequently when the fabric 13 passes between the rollers 37 at the point (1,3', the opposite sides of the fabric will be clamped between the converging chains, the spurs projecting through the fabric and into the grooves above and the fabric will thus be firmly held and carried forward with the chains.

A paint tank 59 is arranged between the upper and lower group of guides 39, as shown in Fig. 1, and in thistankjis arevolving'drum 60 over which the chains 52 and 53 pass, thus carrying the fabric `with them, and as the tank is partially filled with paint in a liquid state, the fabric will be thoroughly coated. Within the tank is a reciprocating agitator 61 substantially like the agitator used in the tanklZh and described above, as the agitator has an upwardly extending standard 62 which is secured to a reciprocating bar 63 moving horizontally above the tank 59, and the bar carries a brush 64 which impinges on one side of the fabric, the brush being held'to move between the vertical guides 39".

The bar 63 has an arm 65 which connects with an oscillating lever 66 rocked by gears 67, this construction not being shown in detail as it is like that shown in Fig. 4 and described above.

There is a brush 61 on each side of the fabric over the tank 59, and these brushes serve to spread the paint upon the fabric and also to remove the surplus. Above the reciprocating brush 6/tare rotary brushes 68 which are arranged in the path of the fabric and on opposite sides thereof, these brushes being exactly similar to the brushes 30 already described. Y

At the delivery end of the lower guides 39 of the upper groups of guides are cutting perfectly smooth.

disks 69 and 70, there being a pair of these disks on each guide, and the disks are arranged above and below a slot in the guide,

as shown in Fig. 11, so that their cuttingedges will extend by each other and these serve to trim the fabric so as to leave its edges After passing out between the rollers 37 at the point z', h, the fabric is rolled upon a roller 7l which is held in the frame 72 and it has one bearing 73 pressed upward by a spring 74 and the shaft 79 of the roller is provided with a friction pulley 75 which is adapted to engage a friction pulley 76 below it, this pulley 76 being fixed to the driving shaft 77 which has a pulley 78 at one end. The shaft 79 is normally raised by the same, the views being made to show the relative position of the parts, but it will be understood that any suitable driving mechanism or supports may be employed.

The operation of the machine is as follows:-'Ihe roll of cotton orother fabric which is to be' treated is placed in the frame lO, and the fabric passed over the pulley 14 around the drum l5 between the brushes 2l and 30, and is entered between the pulleys 37 at the point ahy', so that its edges will be clamped between the moving chains 52 and 53. fThe cloth will then be drawn forward being sized '5 and brushed as described, and the heat radiated by the pipes 16 will cause the size or other coating lto quickly dry. As the fabric is carried forward it is dipped in the tank 59 in the manner described and after it has passed through the tank, the paint 0r other coating is nicely spread by the brushes 64 and 68. The fabric is then carried through the upper group of guides 39, is trimmed by the cutting ldisks 69 and 70, and is delivered in a compact roll upon the roller 7l.

It will be seen that the guides may be adjusted in relation to each other so that the cloth will be held'very tightly and that the diverging parts of the guides, as shown in Fig. 3, will cause the cloth to be gradually stretched without injury.

I have shown a convenient mechanism for carrying the fabric through the sizing and painting tanks and for drying, brushing, and trimming the fabric, but I do not confine my self to the mechanism shown, as the several parts may be greatly modified without .departing from the principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a fabric holding support, a tank arranged adjacent thereto and havinga drum therein, parallel chain guides, pairs of parallel clamping chains held to move over suitable pulleys and adapted to pass in pairs through the guides, with the fabric clamped between their adjacent faces, and brushes arranged between the guides and the tank and in the path of the fabric, substantially as described.

2. An apparatus of the character described, comprising parallel slotted guides, pairs of parallel carrying-chains adapted to fit together' on their adjacent faces and pass in pairs through the guides with the fabric ICO IIO

clamped between their interlocking surfaces, a fabric-holding support at one end of the guides, a tank arranged between the guides and the support, means for immersing the fabric in the tank as it passes from the support to the guides, and movable brushes arranged between the tank and the guides and in the path of the fabric, substantially as described.

3. An apparatus of the character described, comprising groups or series of longitudinally slotted guides, pairs of parallel carryingchains adapted to travel in pairs through the guides Vand to clamp the fabric between them, a sizing tank arranged at the forward end of the firstgroup of tanks, means for immersing the fabric in the sizing tank, a paint tank arranged between the two groups of guides,

means for immersing the fabric in the tank, brushes arranged adjacent to the tank and in the path of the fabric, and a Winding device to receive the fabric as it comes from the guides, substantially as described.

4. An apparatus of the character described, comprising parallel longitudinally slotted guides movable back and forth in relation to each other, clamping chains held to move longitudinally through theguides and adapted to hold the fabric between them, a tank arranged at the forward end of the guides, a drum mechanism for forcing the fabric into the tank, and movable brushes arranged between the tank and the guides, substantially as described. p

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with y the parallel guides having longitudinal slots on their inner sides, of the carrying chains adapted to pass together through the guides, one chain being longitudinally grooved and the other having projecting spurs to fit in the groove, substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the carrying mechanism comprising longitudinally slotted parallel guides adjustable to and from each other, and the pairs of parallel clamping chains adapted to move together in pairs through the guides and clamping the edges 0f the fabric between their adjacent faces, substantially as described.

WILLIAM P. COLE.

Witnesses:

WARREN B. HUTCHINSON, C. SEDGWICK. 

